SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 10 Connected Discourses with Spirits – Yakkhasaṁyutta > SN 10.3 With Spiky

Linked Discourses 10.3 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 10.3

1. With Indaka – 1. Indakavagga

SN 10.3 With Spiky – Sūcilomasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native spirit.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati ṭaṅkitamañce sūcilomassa yakkhassa bhavane.

Now at that time the native spirits Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha.

Tena kho pana samayena kharo ca yakkho sūcilomo ca yakkho bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti.

So Shaggy said to Spiky,

Atha kho kharo yakkho sūcilomaṁ yakkhaṁ etadavoca:

“That’s an ascetic.”

“eso samaṇo”ti.

“That’s no ascetic, he’s a faker!

“Neso samaṇo, samaṇako eso.

I’ll soon find out whether he’s an ascetic or a faker.”

Yāva jānāmi yadi vā so samaṇo yadi vā pana so samaṇako”ti.

Then Spiky went up to the Buddha and leaned up against his body,

Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato kāyaṁ upanāmesi.

but the Buddha pulled away.

Atha kho bhagavā kāyaṁ apanāmesi.

Then Spiky said to the Buddha,

Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Are you afraid, ascetic?”

“bhāyasi maṁ, samaṇā”ti?

“No, sir, I’m not afraid.

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, bhāyāmi;

But your touch is nasty.”

api ca te samphasso pāpako”ti.

“I will ask you a question, ascetic.

“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.

If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya;

But anyway, ask what you wish.”

api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadā kaṅkhasī”ti. (…)

“Where do greed and hate come from?

“Rāgo ca doso ca kutonidānā,

From where do discontent, desire, and terror spring?

Aratī ratī lomahaṁso kutojā;

Where do the mind’s thoughts originate,

Kuto samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā,

like a crow let loose by boys.”

Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajantī”ti.

“Greed and hate come from here;

“Rāgo ca doso ca itonidānā,

from here spring discontent, desire, and terror;

Aratī ratī lomahaṁso itojā;

here’s where the mind’s thoughts originate,

Ito samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā,

like a crow let loose by boys.

Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti.

Born of affection, originating in oneself,

Snehajā attasambhūtā,

like the shoots from a banyan’s trunk;

nigrodhasseva khandhajā;

the many kinds of attachment to sensual pleasures

Puthū visattā kāmesu,

are like camel’s foot creeper strung through the woods.

māluvāva vitatā vane.

Those who understand where they come from

Ye naṁ pajānanti yatonidānaṁ,

get rid of them—listen up, spirit!

Te naṁ vinodenti suṇohi yakkha;

They cross this flood so hard to cross,

Te duttaraṁ oghamimaṁ taranti,

not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”

Atiṇṇapubbaṁ apunabbhavāyā”ti.